#falafel

#falafel

Expect bold flavors, generous portions, and halal meats cooked on vertical rotisseries at this Greek spot. The space is small, and the counter service line can get a little long at lunchtime, but the food is well worth the wait. The falafel is perfectly crisp on the outside with a tender center, but the combo bowl is ideal when you're hungry and can't decide what you want-it comes with your choice of two proteins (we like the chicken shawarma and gyro beef) over rice plus

If you're hungry or coming with a friend, order the falafel plate special ($12). It is one of the best value meals in town. The hearty dish comes with five pieces of crispy, hot falafel, on herb basmati rice with a sidecar of dill sauce. A small Shepherd's Salad arrives on the side, a mix of romaine lettuce, dates, goat cheese, pecans, and roasted corn tossed in a honey-Dijon vinaigrette.

Don't let Mini Kabob's demure size and Americana-adjacent location fool you - the pint-sized Glendale restaurant serves Los Angeles's best smoky, flame-kissed Armenian kebabs. Operated by two generations of the Martirosyan family, Mini Kabob blends Armenian and Egyptian flavors in fully loaded kebab and falafel plates served out of a makeshift takeout window. The younger Martirosyan, Armen, greets regulars by name at the window between flipping skewers of tender marinated beef and plating piles of bulgur-dotted tabbouleh.

One of my favorite weeknight meals - falafel - requires soaking dried chickpeas overnight but becomes an easy, fast-to-cook dish once prepared.